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Scientific diasporas in Japan and their self-organization modes

Mozebakh V.A.,

Independent Researcher, Moscow, Russia, mozevladimir@mail.ru

elibrary_id: 966970 | ORCID: 0000-0003-1349-1948 | RESEARCHER_ID: IWE-0492-2023

Raynkhardt R.O.,

MGIMO University, Moscow, Russia, don.reinhardt@mail.ru

elibrary_id: 836589 | ORCID: 0000-0002-0890-8844 | RESEARCHER_ID: F-3523-2016

Article received: 2025.01.22 21:27. Accepted: 2025.04.10 21:27


DOI: 10.17976/jpps/2025.04.07
EDN: JYVFJK

Rubric: Orbis terrarum

For citation:

Mozebakh V.A., Raynkhardt R.O. Scientific diasporas in Japan and their self-organization modes. – Polis. Political Studies. 2025. No. 4. https://doi.org/10.17976/jpps/2025.04.07. EDN: JYVFJK (In Russ.)

The article was prepared with financial support from the Russian Science Foundation, project No. 23-78-10136.

Abstract

The article considers the evolution of Japan’s policy to attract highly qualified research personnel and the formation of foreign scientific diasporas in this country in 2000–2023. The objective is to determine the scientific diaspora potential of national associations of scientists in Japan alongside the specifics of their functioning. The authors outline a periodization of Tokyo’s policy in attracting foreign researchers. To verify and interpret the collected data, they conducted four interviews with representatives of foreign scientific diasporas in Japan, as well as with local scientific circles. This revealed that given the current conditions in the country in question, which do not always meet the needs of immigrant scientists, scientific diasporas are forced, in addition to standard networking and identification functions, to provide assistance to their members in everyday adaptation. The authors conclude that scientific diasporas in Japan do exist, but are extremely few in number and are running the risk of self-liquidation. One of the reasons for the weak response of foreign scientists to incoming innovations appears to be the decade-long inability of the government and local scientific circles to find solutions to everyday problems faced by visiting researchers (communication difficulties, differences in work mentality, etc.) or at least to reduce their negative impact on working conditions. With regard to the intensifying global “war for talent,” Tokyo will predictably continue to look for new incentives for the relocation of foreign scientists to Japan and their adaptation to national realities.

Keywords

scientific diaspora, science diplomacy, international scientific and technical cooperation, scientific policy, war for talent.

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